Methods for treating bladder cancer by activation of hedgehog signaling using a methylation inhibitor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition for treating bladder cancer, which includes a methylation inhibitor of the Sonic hedgehog (SHH) gene, and more particularly, to a composition for preventing or treating bladder cancer, which includes a methylation inhibitor as an active ingredient to activate a hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway involving a protein encoded by the gene by maintaining the expression level of SHH gene by suppressing methylation at the specific sites of the promoter of the SHH gene. The inventors found that the methylation at specific sites of the promoter of the SHH gene changes the pattern of the gene expression, and first identified that bladder cancer can be prevented or treated by controlling the Hh signaling pathway involving a protein encoded by the gene. Therefore, since the growth of cancer cells may be inhibited by inducing differentiation of the bladder cancer cells to a luminal subtype by activating the Hh signaling pathway by suppressing the methylation of the promoter of the SHH gene, the composition according to the present invention is expected to be effectively used in the treatment of bladder cancer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.